A successful florist and real estate agent in Los Angeles, he
complained to his wife, an MGM publicist, about one of her studio's
films, so she dared him to do better. He sold their home and floral
shops, and from 1947 to 1951 worked to produce
The River (1951). It opened in
New York to a record 34-week run at reserved-seat prices and was on
several 10-best movie lists in 1951, and grossed more than $16 million.
He then returned to real estate and never made another movie, because,
he said "I did it once. I proved my point."